August 3, 2017 / Joanne Yeck

Fallsburg Mills: Part IV

In 1958, Buckingham County historian Lulie Patteson wrote an article for Charlottesville’s Daily Progress, recalling the village at Fallsburg Mills, located in Buckingham County about a mile above Warren, as it had existed decades before:

Then there was what were called the upper grocery and the lower grocery. These two stores catered to the scattered little village and the outlying neighborhood. Catered not only in coffee, sugar and such staples, but in the whiskey that lured men to alcoholism then, as today. Both the stores were not only bar rooms, but as most stores and taverns of that day, were gambling houses as well.

THOSE INCLINED to woo the goddess of chance often, it is said, would gather at the lower grocery in the morning then drink, gamble and gossip until afternoon. Then the gang would move to the upper grocery and the program was repeated.

Situated here, too, was a large tannery where hides from the adjacent county were tanned. Many of them were shipped to Richmond and Lynchburg, although much shoe-making was done at home in those days. Some have claimed there was a shoe-maker’s shop in connection with the tannery, but this was not proved.

Such a large flouring mill in those days would have called for many barrels, for flour was largely measured in barrels than. So we find that there was a cooperage here which is said to have done flouring business. These businesses, with a few private homes, made up of village well known then up and down the James, but now almost a forgotten memory.

Coming next: William A. Wilkerson of Fallsburg Mills